O2 "can't" cancel contact - computer says no....

elsien

Mum has an O2 contract which she's had for years and has now decided to cancel for PAYG. So she phones the helpline which tells her she has to cancel a month before the contract is up, she can't do it any sooner.
Yesterday she phones again as the contract is up on the 19th to be told she has to cancel on the 19th itself.
Which is this Sunday. They don't open on a Sunday. The computer won't let them do it any earlier. And by Monday it will be too late and she'll be tied into another 12 months. So hard luck, there's nothing they can do about it, it's the computer, shame really.
!!!!!!!!!!!
So after spending over an hour on the phone while they try to do something on-line, then three hours in the 02 shop while the manager tries to sort out the online customer service c0ck up, mum finally manages to get her phone switched to a monthly contract.
She now has to wait a month, then try to cancel again.( I'm already getting that feeling of deja vu.)

marleyboy

Give them notice on the day of your intention to cancel on the Sunday, dont let them say "no on the day only!" tell them clearly from that day onwards, your cancelling, whether or not their computer says "no", any further dealings with them, tell them to do it via the Court, if they flap about that, simply say "My Computer says NO!"

Halloway

That doesn't sound right at all. A normal phone contract runs for a given period of time, usually 18 months these days. Until that period has expired you can cancel, giving a month's notice but you will pay a penalty equal to the remaining monthly payments. After that time has expired the contract continues but you can cancel at any time by giving a month's notice.

I've never heard of a contract which automatically renews itself for a year if you fail to cancel on a certain day. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever and is probably illegal.

AirCooledHeaven

Agree with Halloway, contracts run until they expire and then you are 'out of contract' which is when they will normally jump through hoops (new phone, better deal etc) to keep you on. She should dig out the contract she signed and read the terms. Maybe she signed up via a third party reseller and they are trying it on? If so complain direct to the network

liam8282

With most mobile phone contracts even when your contract has finished, usually 12 or 18 months, you still have to give 30 days notice to cancel. You can give this notice 30 days before the actual contract end date though, if you want your cancel to finish on the exact day your contract ends.

Your situation sounds very unusual, are you sure your mum hasn't renewed her contract somewhere along the line and maybe not realised what she has done?

elsien

She's had the same contract practically since dinosaurs became extinct and it just seems to have kept going - she's never changed it as when she looked into it she was told they couldn't match the deal she was getting so it seemed pointless swapping it - I think she may have renewed it some time ago when she upgraded the phone, but the rest stayed the same. I'll have to see if the paperwork's around, although we're talking well over ten years ago, and you haven't seen the state of my mother's office.
She was definitely told that she had to cancel on a specific date by two people on two separate occasions, otherwise I'd have thought she'd misunderstood.

hayley11

Can you not put it in writing as well as ring them? Are you sure O2 aren't open on Sundays? I thought in this day and age, they'd be open 7 days a week.

I wonder if somebody was trying to fob her off?

iwanttosave_2

They better be open on Sundays, I'm not getting up tomorrow for nothing.

Just ask for the PAC, they have to give it at any time of the contract regardless of where you are in it, of course termination fees would apply if it is in contract.

I really think you've got the wrong end of the stick, they don't just self-renew.

williham

Normally phone contracts just expire, they don't renew. You would have to ask for the contract to be renewed to enter in to another contract. Don't worry!

liam8282

The actual phone contract does expire with the phone company, but unless you actually cancel your connection with your phone company the phone connection / tariff (whatever you want to call it) will continue, until you give your notice and cancel.

When your actual contract runs out, they try to tie you into new deals so that they have the "guaranteed" line rental / contract, for another 12 / 18 months, where as when you are out of contract you cancel within 30 days.

To the OP, when was the last time your mother got a new phone, that was probably the last time her contract was renewed. Depending on the deal she could be tied up for anything from 12, 18, 24 months, possibly more. However, some companies give discounted line rental instead of a new phone, so this may not be the case for your mother.

If you ring O2 they should just give you the exact information you need, ie your contract expiry date. I have got to say I have never had a problem with any phone company as they have to give you this information when you ask for it.

If you know your contract expiry date, 30 days before that is when you give your notice to cancel, and then the contract will be done.